After a year at the helm of the Turlock Journal, Hank Vander Veen was named group publisher of Morris Newspapers of Northern California. The MNC group includes the Journal, Ceres Courier, Oakdale Leader, Escalon Times, Riverbank News, Manteca Bulletin and Ripon Bulletin. Vander Veen also spent 25 years with the McClatchy Company in several management positions including Publisher of the Merced Sun-Star.

U.S. Navy E-3 EN FN Stephen Garcia II was deployed to Sasebo, Japan with the 6th Fleet. His job is an Engineman/Fireman. The Fleet will be doing maneuvers with the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet on their way back from Sasebo, Japan passing through Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii. They will then return to the Naval Weapons Station in San Diego.